Spotify finally brings offline playback to the Apple Watch, allowing wearers to download their favourite playlists, albums, and podcasts and then listen later without either a data connection or their iPhone nearby.
The company, which made this announcement on Friday, May 21st, 2021, said that this new feature supports the ability to stream your favourites from the watch.
Spotify now wants its premium users to be able to download everything they’re listening to for a true offline and phone-free experience. “This is on top of all the other Spotify features on Apple Watch—from Connect & Control to streaming to Siri,” the company said in its news update.
Until November 2020, after Spotify added the ability to stream music, the Apple Watch only worked as a remote for Spotify music playing on an iPhone or other Spotify Connect-compatible device. Users can now add and delete Spotify content on their phones, and sync with the Watch.
This offline feature will be available starting May 21st on Apple Watch Series 3 or later, with watchOS 6.0+ (recommend 7.1+) with a cellular connection or wifi and a Spotify Premium account. The company advises that you have the latest version of Spotify running on your iPhone.
A Spotify Premium subscription will also be required. Spotify Premium memberships range from $9.99 per month for a single account, up to $15.99 per month for a family plan. There’s also a $4.99-per-month student account option available.
